Case studies: Contemporary dance artist: Gillie Kleiman

Since graduating in 2008, Gillie has strengthened her strong involvement in the contemporary dance scene both internationally and at home. She has been involved in teaching, as well as travelling, and has collaborated on pieces with other artists she has met by networking. 

The course of study I pursued at the University of Surrey was the right option for me, on the whole. Since I graduated, I have realised that my course was uniquely placed because of its strong emphasis on critical thinking with dance and performance on the agenda. This degree has given me a unique selling point because higher and further education colleges in the region have struggled to find staff with sufficient knowledge of dance history and choreographic analysis to teach students on their BTEC or degree courses.

More importantly, this critical approach is crucial to my choreographic practice. I’m interested in dance as an autonomous, thoughtful art form that can influence the world in some way. In Britain, sadly, this approach is not common, and most choreographers and dancers tend to come from vocational dance schools where technical mastery over the body is at the forefront. Most people in Britain – artists and dance educators included – don’t really believe that graduates from other backgrounds would cut it as artists in dance.

When I left university I didn’t think I could be a choreographer or performer – or, perhaps, that the most I would be able to do is a small project once a year or so, as a sideline. My change of perspective occurred whilst participating in the danceWEB Scholarship Programme at ImPulsTanz 2008. The artists, many of whom already had an established practice and work internationally, saw me as a choreographer and performer without question, and this gave me the belief that I could at least give it a good shot. I’ve been making work and performing continuously since then and look forward to continuing! The danceWEB participants – almost 70 from almost 40 countries – formed a collective called Embassy of, and we try to make things happen with and for each other.

This, and other experiences at festivals in Europe have led me to feel connected to a community or network of artists, institutions, and practices. When I travel (and I travel a lot - since graduating 15 months ago I’ve been on 11 working trips abroad), I often meet dance professionals I already know, and my chipping joyfully away at a scene for the past couple of years has resulted in people starting to put work my way. The artists I wrote about in my dissertation are now my friends on Facebook!